LRSD Graduation Rate Improves Nearly 10% Over 3 Years

This graduation season, more than 1,500 Little Rock School District seniors will walk across the stage at Verizon Arena, signifying their commitment to complete their high school education and pursue college and career goals. Their accomplishments lend to the overall improvement of LRSD’s high school graduation rate, from 74% three years ago to 82% this year.

Deputy Superintendent Marvin Burton, who manages all five District high schools, attributes the uptick to several factors. In addition to LRSD’s highest performing students, more than 100 of whom were celebrated this year during Academic Signing Day, Burton says LRSD has efforts underway to support students who may need help acquiring credits needed to graduate. LRSD high schools offer credit recovery classes during and after school.

Counselors also work with each student to track their credit acquisition each year to explain what they may need to graduate on time. “This increased awareness by students, parents, counselors – essentially, all stakeholders - has tremendously benefited our students,” said Burton.

Additionally, all high schools have career coaches who work with counselors as co-thinking partners to help students explore career focus areas required for graduation and completion of college admission paperwork like FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). “The career coach-school counselor relationship is unique to districts in Pulaski County. The program started in 2013,” he added.

The graduation rate is a component of the “Every Child Succeeds Act” (ESSA), which determines a school’s index score and letter grade.